WORKING TOGETHER

TO CONNECT THE
NEXT 1.5 BILLION BY 2020
Report on the Special Session of the
UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum,
Davos, 21 January 2016

BACKGROUND
The third Special Session of the Broadband

When the SDGs were adopted in September

Commission at the World Economic Forum

2015, many organizations and governments

was co-organized with partners from the

spoke with conviction about the positive

World Economic Forum, and sponsored by

role that technology, and specifically

the Ministry of Communications and IT of

information and communications

the Republic of Azerbaijan.

technologies or ICTs, can play in driving

sustainable development.

The Broadband Commission was relaunched

in 2015, in line with the adoption of the

The Special Session brought together a

Global Sustainable Development Goals, or

wide range of organizations and entities

SDGs, and was rebranded as the Broadband

dedicated to connecting the unconnected,

Commission for Sustainable Development.

to discuss how to bring all the worlds

The Broadband Commissioners are at one

people online, innovative investment

in their firm belief that broadband can be a

models, and in particular to align and

powerful driver for sustainable development

reinforce our efforts to connect the next

and are underlining this by dedicating their

1.5 billion people by 2020 (a target from the

work specifically to drive progress towards

Connect 2020 Agenda, which was adopted

achieving the SDGs.

unanimously by 193 Member States at ITUs

main international conference in 2014).

INTRODUCTION
World leaders recently approved a set of

related services and applications will

17Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

be a key factor in achieving all 17goals,

to replace the Millennium Development

and is the primary focus of the new-look

Goals (MDGs) and provide the overarching

Broadband Commission for Sustainable

global framework for development through

Development.

to the year 2030.

Providing affordable and inclusive

Connecting the unconnected and

access is a core challenge and priority

generating sufficient investment

for many governments, industry leaders,

opportunities for the universal deployment

and international organizations. The UN

of broadband and ICTs (information and

Broadband Commission for Sustainable

communication technologies) and their

Development and its many partners

believes that ICTs can be a significant

financing models; an enabling policy and

enabler to achieving progress in the SDGs

regulatory environment; ensuring that there

but for this to happen we need investment

is a demand for connectivity and services;

and partnerships across multiple sectors,

and the impact of connectivity on social

and a stronger alignment and collaboration

and economic growth and environmental

between existing initiatives.

sustainability.

This position was emphasized in the

The UN Broadband Commission Special

recently adopted SDGs, particularly

Session in Davos brought together leaders

Target 9c: significantly increase access

and representatives from a number of key

to ICT and strive to provide universal and

global connectivity initiatives to identify

affordable access to internet in LDCs by

challenges and opportunities in their

2020. The international community also

implementation, as well as identify synergies

set out specific goals for connectivity

and areas for greater collaboration. A

to support sustainable development in

discussion paper, which looked at the

the Connect 2020 Agenda for global

potential investments needed to achieve

telecommunication/ICT development,

global connectivity - was presented by ITU

which defines tangible targets for ICT

as a contribution to the Special Session

growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, and

and a joint Statement (annexed below) was

innovation and partnership by 2020.

released after the session.

There are many elements to consider

when undertaking the global challenge to
connect the world. These include: the need
for affordable access to broadband; network
infrastructure challenges and related

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
The following highlights aim to capture the key points contributed from a number of
participants during the 90 minute session. It is not a formal record of the meeting but
rather a means to share the key discussion points with a wider group of stakeholders.
The session was opened by the moderator,

room. It is not a question of if but when

David Kirkpatrick, CEO of Techonomy Media,

everyone will be brought online, Kirkpatrick

who stressed the importance of bringing

emphasized, which means working

everyone online, and the need to achieve

together more effectively to accelerate the

this as rapidly as possible, building on the

common goal of global connectivity.

strengths of common purpose and the

impressive amount of knowledge in the

Opening remarks were delivered by the

statement prepared in advance of the

two Co-Vice Chairs of the Broadband

meeting.

Commission, Houlin Zhao, ITU SecretaryGeneral, and Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-

Irina Bokova thanked the participants for

General, as well as by representatives of the

coming and welcomed the good tradition

two Co-Chairs of the Commission, President

already established by the meeting, and

Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Carlos Slim,

the opportunity to talk about connectivity

Chairman of the Carlos Slim Foundation.

and the transformational force of ICT and

more broadly how to build an inclusive

Houlin Zhao noted that this was the

society (more than purely technical aspects).

third Broadband Commission meeting

We have learned from the Connect 2020

in Davos to be sponsored by Azerbaijan,

agenda as well as WSIS that everywhere

and thanked the sponsor, as well as all the

people are thinking about new technologies

participants for coming. This is the first

and new paths of development, and how

meeting of the Broadband Commission

the convergence of views and the interests

since the approval of the SDGs, and this

of the private sector, governments and

represents a good opportunity to use the

civil society are getting stronger. She asked

power of ICTs, and especially broadband,

the meeting to consider climate change,

to improve peoples lives. He reiterated the

as well as the importance of significantly

value of the ITUs Connect 2020 Agenda

increasing access to ICTs and striving to

which was unanimously approved by all

provide universal and affordable access to

193 ITU Member States, and noted the

the Internet in LDCs by 2020, as specified in

big challenge of connecting the next 1.5

goal 9c of the Global Agenda. Looking more

billion a challenge which can be met if

broadly at all of the SDGs, there are none of

everyone works together, and which would

the 17 goals where ICT is not relevant, and

be facilitated by the adoption of the draft

that is why this meeting is so important as

is the next full meeting of the Commission

and an unprecedented opportunity for

in Dubai in the middle of March.

those joining information economy for

the first time. The President remains fully

Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of

engaged on the Broadband Commission for

Youth & ICT, Rwanda, spoke on behalf of

Sustainable Development and looks forward

Broadband Commission Co-Chair President

to meeting Commissioners in Davos this

Kagame, who sent his greetings and

week, in Dubai in March, or in Rwanda

apologies, and reiterated his full support for

in May.

the effort of building more synergies and

partnerships to deliver on the expectations

Carlos M. Jarque, CEO of FCC, and

and dreams of the billions who remain

Broadband Commissioner, spoke on

unconnected. He congratulated ITU on

behalf of Broadband Commission Co-Chair

the discussion paper, emphasizing the

Carlos Slim, who sent his kind regards to

importance of advance knowledge and

the meeting. He shared his thoughts on

the understanding of what it takes to do

connectivity and inclusion, reminding

the job, and noted that the themes of

participants of the Nobel Peace Prize winner

Davos were challenging, remembering that

who had said never underestimate the

there are still so many that are yet to join

power of a single voice globally connected.

this revolution. We must remain focused,

The Broadband Commission is globally

and improve regulation, the business

connected and it has a voice and its

environment, education, innovation and

message today is to connect the next 1.5

entrepreneurship, until the last billion

billion by 2020. This number is in the minds

not only the next billion is connected.

of many governments and institutions, and

Connecting the unconnected must be

clearly we need a lot of investment the ITU

seen as a shared global responsibility,

report suggests US$ 450 billion is needed

as well as a profitable business activity,

in the next four years to meet the target.

This is a profitable investment both socially

will not be reached without broadband; and

and economically. The size of the Digital

we need to benefit from the power of being

Economy is of about 16 Trillion dollars in

able to measure society in real time. To sum

the same period. He stressed the need

up: we live in a time of good technological

for a proper ecosystem to vastly expand

fortune, but we have to work on several

connectivity for inclusive development, and

fronts to bring the benefits to all.

noted that in some countries regulation

is still volatile so work is still needed on

Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General, UNCTAD,

legal and regulatory frameworks. He also

said that we have to look at challenges

discussed the need for improved regulator

on making progress on the SDGs one

knowledge, and the need to digitalize

of which is infrastructure, as already

public sectors and communities and to

mentioned. Today there is a major divide in

promote digital inclusion. We need to

access to broadband infrastructure fixed

realize opportunities in health, education,

broadband penetration is under 1% in

and finance, and we need to ensure that

Africa, while mobile broadband penetration

SMEs benefit from the digital economy.

is 17%. But mobile broadband penetration

The Broadband Commission Working

in the developed world is almost 87%. So

Group chaired by Jeffrey Sachs can play

the challenge is how to finance the bridging

an important role as all these sectors are

of that gap. We will soon be publishing our

strategic and interrelated. We need to focus

latest global investment monitor, which

on content and digital culture content

shows a number of trends, including the

makes it happen. Finally, we need to do a

global growth of FDI (although most of

better job of disseminating the benefits of

this is in the developed world); the net

broadband in development, identify best

decline in South America; and the fact

practices and to scale them up; we need to

that the main inflows go into technology,

make sure everyone understands the SDGs

not infrastructure. The good news is that

investment in IT-related infrastructure

will not invest if there is no business case.

has not only been done by technology

If there are not adequate skills and local

companies but still the investment

content and applications, then there will

in broadband remains a challenge. He

be no local added value and therefore no

noted that the reality is that investment

reason to invest. When we ask countries

is most likely to be attracted into mobile

about their priorities, they never answer

infrastructure, and that regulation and

digital infrastructure, yet this should be

incentives can be optimized to share

the number one priority, alongside roads

infrastructure to better use assets. At

etc. The next priority needs to be skills. We

the same time we need to look beyond

need better education in schools and high

infrastructure, and in particular consider

schools and delivering digital competence

e-commerce: you need a payment system,

to everyone is a binding obligation. Next,

you need an ecosystem where cybersecurity

we need to look at standards: we are on

is assured, so you need a comprehensive

the way from 3G to 4G to 5G, and 5G is a

ecosystem, and there can be partnerships at

revolution, but we need global standards,

every level. Finally, national priorities need to

and we need to organize these, to bring

be coherent both on global commitment

together leading countries in this area, and

and national action.

to agree global standards very soon. Finally,

we need to ask philosophical questions.

10

Gnther Oettinger, EU Commissioner,

Do we like open Internet? What about

Digital Economy and Society, and

cybersecurity? What is the philosophy

Broadband Commissioner, emphasized

behind digital services? Who is ruling it

the European Commissions commitment

governments or the market? Is it market-

to supporting the efforts and work of the

based or state-owned? To sum up, we need

Broadband Commission. He noted the

money, a business case, a strategy on how

growing digital divide, and said that people

to co-finance. Its about skills and about

philosophy, and there is a lot to do. The

about the digital world but also points out

next divide is a digital one with three billion

dangers, and new divides opening up. It is

winners and four billion losers.

clear that huge benefits can be brought by

connectivity, such as m-pesa in Kenya, or

Kaushik Basu, Senior Vice President and

garment workers in Bangladesh receiving

Chief Economist, World Bank, noted that

end of month text messages concerning

this was the first meeting following the

their salaries, allowing them to send

World Banks launch of the 2016 World

remittances across the country. In India, one

Development Report on Digital Dividends,

billion people are now registered under a

which brings together a lot of evidence

system of biometric identification, so now

11

poor people are entitled to benefits even if

countries allow for example in terms of

they migrate to another region. Mobility has

mobile cash? We want to take advisory role,

become much easier, and has transformed

but we cannot do it alone, and we hope

the retail sector in China, for example,

this new platform will help us all to stay

through technology. But we are now more

together.

acutely aware than ever of the haves and

12

the have nots this is a new divide. Think

Alex Wong, Co-head of Future of the

of literacy: up until around 5,000 years ago,

Internet initiative, WEF, said that he was

being illiterate was not a disadvantage,

happy to use Davos to convene all the

but today it is a huge disadvantage to be

participants here. WEF has made an

illiterate (and it is shameful that 15% of

extended commitment to the future of the

adults in the world cannot read and write).

Internet as a key initiative, launched last

Connectivity is the new literacy: if you are

year, and a key pillar is Internet for all (we

not connected, you will be the new poor.

have decided to focus on all four billion

Education is incredibly important, and with

unconnected); many of you are members

new technology you can teach remotely far

of this, including ITU, World Bank, Cisco etc.

more easily. One of our jobs at the World

We have made a great start by completing

Bank, which we have just started with the

a framework, and we are now moving into

launch of the report, is to operationalize

the action phase, with multi-stakeholder

this through a new digital development

action on the ground. This decision was

partnership, which aims to link up with

made with many of you involved, and

other organizations and work together with

we invite all of you to be part of this,

activism and go into countries which are

because it does require a coordinated

under-connected and set up field offices.

approach. With everyone here, the talent

A counterpart to connecting people is the

and skills, we can address this challenge.

regulatory framework: what do different

He noted some of the principles that

KlausSchwab has elaborated on the Fourth

to almost all villages across the country

Industrial Revolution: first, stop thinking in

in the space of just three years and in

compartmentalized ways; second, the need

some villages it is now possible to watch

to have an inclusive approach; and finally,

4K TV. Governments need to approach

the need to always put people first. We need

carriers so that together they can build

to empower them and remind ourselves

infrastructure and then make money. In

that these new technologies are first and

another case, Huawei worked recently with

foremost tools by people for people so we

Vodafone to connect schools in refugee

need a people-centric approach. As we all

camps it was very important to develop

move into the action phase, let me end with

an instant network, first for emergencies,

a quote by Henry Ford: coming together is

and then for other uses, to enable maximum

the beginning, staying together is progress,

inclusiveness. This shows that it is not only

working together is success.

the infrastructure that is important, but

also the applications. She also highlighted

Sun Yafang, Chairwoman of the Board,

the success of mobile payments in Africa,

Huawei Technologies, and Broadband

and notably Kenya, where mobile money

Commissioner, noted that she had heard

has been hugely successful in creating

a lot about digital transformation in Davos

businesses, and where people no longer

this year, and about living in a digital world.

need banks. Mobile money is now used by

She illustrated the issue of connectivity and

24 million people in Kenya, accounting for

inclusiveness with examples from China,

transactions worth US$ 21 billion which

where the government has given a high

is almost a third of Kenyas GDP. These

priority to communications infrastructure.

applications are important, and Huawei

By approaching carriers and working in

is now working on mobile money with

partnership to roll out the network, China

another nine countries.

has brought fixed broadband connections

13

Fadi Chehad, President and CEO,

Bernard Gainnier, Chairman & Territory

ICANN, stressed the need to ensure and

Senior Partner, PwC France & Francophone

promote decency and trust in an ever-

Africa, emphasized the importance of

more connected world, where there are

agreeing on the priorities. We all know

already some 15 billion sensors connected

the issues involved, but we may differ in

to the Internet, and many billions more

priorities. He raised the issue of electricity,

being connected every year. If we are

which is inter-related and very important, as

using connectivity to push for democracy,

infrastructure efforts must be synchronized,

then we also need to make sure that

as well as ensuring physical access. He asked

people regain their trust in institutions.

participants about the responsibilities of

He also raised the issue in Brazil, where

business in this respect? Where telco players

many millions of people have access to

are making bigger margins, in emerging

broadband but do not use it not due to

markets, what is their responsibility in

affordability (broadband costs less than 2%

terms of increasing access to broadband?

of income in Brazil) but because they didnt

Broadband access and spectrum is one side

know what to do with it. So we need to go

of the story, but taxes are also important.

beyond broadband per se, and focus on

digital lives including trade, commerce,

Runa Khan, Founder and Executive Director,

education and more. We need to go

Friendship Bangladesh, discussed the

beyond just connectivity, and see how we

difference between global planning and

can serve users real-life needs. He closed

the reality in the field, which today is often

by emphasizing the need to create action

simply minimum access. She described the

networks amongst us and to bulldoze

situation in Bangladesh, a large, flat country,

down the barriers to connectivity that

where many people still do not know

remain.

what to do with the Internet. Friendship

Bangladesh works in the first instance on

14

health issues, with a mobile primary health

Tim Berners-Lee, Professor of Engineering,

programme linking the whole health system

MIT Computer, Founder of the World Wide

to be a mobile connected system, and then

Web, noted that as the world becomes

move on to education. We have to make

a place where the majority rather than

sure that even those people with limited

the minority has access, we also need to

access use it now, so that when better

ensure that it stays fair and ethical. He

access comes they know what to do with

described the Web-Index, a World Wide Web

it. If we use what is there now, then we can

foundation project, which measures not

make the big jump to 5G when it arrives

only whether you have access, but whether

this is the principle of dealing both with the

it is making a difference to health, jobs,

realities now as well as the big picture

and the economy etc. It is a useful index,

later on.

allowing countries to be ranked, and the

results can be quite surprising with Italy,

Gyan Chandra Acharya, Under Secretary-

for example, scoring surprisingly low. The

General, UN-OHRLLS, and Broadband

index allows us to make value judgements

Commissioner, stressed the need for a

your country ought to be able to do better.

strong holistic approach. When we look

There are already many people working

at investment, technology and regulation

with us, but please reach out and see who

we need to take into account both the

else can help. We need to bear in mind that

challenges and the opportunities. He

it is a high-level index, and also therefore

suggested looking at the bottom billion in

keep focused on the end goal, which is

a Broadband Commission Working Group

making an economic difference and making

the challenges and solutions are different

peoples lives better.

here, but there is a huge opportunity and

we should work on that.

Mats Granryd, Director-General, GSMA,

highlighted the growing importance

15

of mobile communications in terms of

gap, making awareness of the benefits

broadband of the three billion already

widespread); and developing relevant local

connected, roughly 90% is via mobile.

content. Together we can and will connect

The mobile industry is valuable not just in

everyone lets all work together to achieve

monetary terms but also in terms of jobs,

this, building on the great energy in

with over 13 million jobs now directly

this room.

involved in making sure mobile phones

16

work. We have achieved great successes

Philippe Metzger, Director General, Federal

but we still face huge challenges, with

Office of Communications (OFCOM),

more than another four billion still to be

Switzerland, commended everyones efforts

connected. This is a huge opportunity to

and suggested that all the initiatives be

work together, without forgetting four

aligned and combined a tall order, but one

important factors: coverage; the cost of

which is overdue. We need to break the silos,

running a network and owning a device;

which is very difficult to do, as we operate

digital literacy (we must reduce the

in silos daily, but this is key, in a world where

we are more connected than ever. So lets

connected, and that by 2021 there should

try to combine the plethora of initiatives,

only be 600 million people not covered. We

and lets do this by being concrete, and

have created the largest platform ever for

being open about all initiatives. Lets also

innovation. This progress has been made

not be too critical too quickly, or regulate

because of the most effective innovation

too quickly, which could stall progress.

regime in history bringing together multi-

Most importantly, lets ask ourselves and

country standardization and an effective

others what we think about these initiatives.

IPR regime. This is unprecedented in human

Switzerland believes in a people-centred

history and should be an inspiration to all of

information society, to let me also raise

us of what we can achieve. The technology

the issue of local content: connectivity is a

is there to do all of these things, so I am

prerequisite, but connectivity by itself will

optimistic about the future.

not empower people on the web. It is clear

that aligning all these activities is a huge

Janet Longmore, Founder and CEO, Digital

challenge, but we must avoid making a

Opportunity Trust (DOT), emphasized

spaghetti ball to that end, let me mention

the importance of youth and highlighted

Switzerlands open-ended Geneva Internet

the work DOT has been doing for the

Platform, which is there precisely to allow us

past 14 years with young people in sub-

to listen to each other and break out of

Saharan Africa and the Middle East. She

the silos.

noted the lack of young people at the

meeting in Davos, and stressed the need

Ulf Ewaldsson, Senior Vice President

for further engagement with youth, as

& CTO, Ericsson, highlighted the great

they are both early adopters and often

achievements that had already been

highly talented and creative, as well as

made, considering that just twenty years

being action-oriented. There are young

ago only 3% of the worlds people were

people in every marginalized community,

17

and they have phones, and know how

institutes research identified three main

to access information. Their talent can be

challenges: connectivity many poor

mobilized to help others in the community.

African states have very limited access;

So we need to engage with young people,

content there is a real lack of good

including future global shapers, focusing on

content, and farmers need specific and

inclusiveness, content development

complex information about crops and the

and skills.

market; and capacity how can we help

farmers to improve their capacity? When

Shenggen Fan, Director General,

farmers have access, they can converge

International Food Policy Research Institute,

knowledge information. The institute would

noted that the bottom billions, who have

be happy to share the results of the research

no access, are poor, hungry people. The

18

undertaken in Uganda and Rwanda, and to

on young people, which is related to ITUs

share the lessons learned.

active focus on small and medium sized

enterprises (SMEs), where most of the

Closing remarks were delivered by the

people involved are young.

two Co-Vice Chairs of the Broadband

Commission, Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-

Participants to the session and members of

General, and Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-

the Commission issued a joint statement

General.

after the meeting underlining their

commitment to work together to accelerate

Irina Bokova recapped the discussions

and achieve global connectivity. The

concerning the many aspects of the

meeting ended with a solid commitment

digital divide, including infrastructure,

to ensure that all key connectivity players

content and culture, and skills, and stressed

will continue to prioritize coordination and

the importance of learning from the

alignment and, as noted in the Statement,

experiences of different projects (as was

to use the platforms of already-scheduled

noted at the Broadband Commissions full

key annual meetings to further this

meeting at UNESCO in Paris). Clearly it is

objective.

very important to work with governments

and all other stakeholders and to connect
the dots.
Houlin Zhao thanked the participants
for all of their contributions, remarks and
proposals, and agreed that it was essential
to mobilize everyone. He was particularly
grateful for the recommendation to focus

19

ANNEX
Special Session of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
Joint Statement
Working together to provide Internet access to the next 1.5 billion by 2020
Davos, 21 January 2016:
As leaders of government, industry,
development and investment organizations
from around the world, we believe that
global Internet connectivity, specifically
global broadband connectivity, is a
significant enabler to achieve sustainable

1. http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_
releases/2015/57.aspx
2. http://www.uis.unesco.org/literacy/
Pages/literacy-data-release-2014.aspx
3. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/
images/0023/002322/232205e.pdf

development for all.

Just as importantly, meaningful Internet
Access to the Internet is the backbone of

access requires relevant, affordable content,

the Knowledge Societies that fuel todays

available in the right language and offering

digital economies, cultures and education

the capability to transform information into

systems. Internet access will accelerate

actionable knowledge. Only about 5% of

the achievement of the United Nations 17

existing languages are accessible online; in

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

addition, the estimated 781 million illiterate

adults2 and almost 100 million children

Today, too few of the worlds citizens are

without complete primary education3 are

connected to the Internet, and even fewer

not able to effectively navigate todays

have meaningful access. Currently, only

complex websites.

about 3.2 billion people are online. Thats

20

less than half of the worlds population. In

Our goal is to make sure the next 1.5 billion

Least Developed Countries, fewer than one

people are connected and have meaningful

in every ten are online.

access to the Internet by 2020. Meaningful

access goes beyond mere connectivity to

cultural developments, economic growth

Internet and mobile infrastructure; without

and environmental sustainability.

the appropriate skills and capacity, people

cannot fully benefit from access to ICTs.

Special attention must be paid to

enhancing ICT access and skills for the most

Our ambition is in line with the goal of

marginalized groups, including girls and

connecting 60% of individuals to the

women, and persons with disabilities. The

Internet by 2020 a central target of

guiding principle for our work must consist

the Connect 2020 Agenda set by the 193

in an all-inclusive approach.

Member States of the United Nations

specialized agency for ICTs, the International

No single entity can achieve this important

Telecommunication Union (ITU), as well

goal and address all of these challenges.

as the target set by the US governments

Investment and partnerships across multiple

Global Connect initiative.

sectors are both required, so we must join

forces to align existing initiatives.

There are many elements to consider

when undertaking the global challenge to

It is for this reason that the UN Broadband

connect the world: the need for affordable

Commissions Special Session in Davos

access to broadband; overcoming

2016 was convened. Our commitment is

challenges to rolling out the required

to ensure that common goals of global

network infrastructure and related financing

Internet access are fully coordinated and

models; creating an enabling policy and

mutually reinforcing, with the aim of

regulatory environment; stimulating the

maximizing the potential that connectivity

development of local and relevant content

can bring to achieve global sustainable

and services; developing the capacities

development.

of people, including their media and

information literacy; and understanding the

Starting here in Davos today we will ensure

impact of Internet access in terms of socio-

that this collaboration will build on a range

of innovative and important initiatives

21

including: the UN Broadband Commission

US State Departments Global Connect

for Sustainable Development; the World

Conference in April; the annual meeting

Economic Forums Future of the Internet

of the World Bank in April; the WSIS Forum

Initiative; the GSMAs Connected Society

in May; the UN-OHRLLS five year review

programme; the outcomes of the World

meeting for Least Developed Countries in

Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);

May, Transform Africa in Kigali in October;

the US State Departments Global Connect

ITU Telecom World in November, and more.

initiative; Connect the World from ONE.org;

the Alliance for the Affordable Internet; ITU

The potential that the power of broadband

initiatives to support implementation of

and ICTs can bring as a key driver for

the Connect 2020 Agenda; and UNESCOs

sustainable development for everyone

programmes on ICTs for quality education,

must be realized. By aligning our initiatives

and for culture and the sciences to name

and joining forces, we will remain fixed and

but a few.

focused on these common connectivity

and development goals and ensure

We will ensure that these and other

collaboration, not competition, in our

important industry-driven initiatives

efforts. By working together we can strive

continue to strengthen and that the drive

more effectively for full digital and social

to connect the next 1.5 billion people

inclusion.

becomes a common and recurring feature

at key international fora.

Statement endorsed by participants at

the Special Session of the UN Broadband

In 2016, we aim to leverage existing and

Commission for Sustainable Development,

planned events to further our collaboration

Davos, 21 January 2016

and common purpose. Some of these

global fora include: WEFs 2016 programme

http://www.broadbandcommission.org/

of Internet for All events; GSMAs Mobile

Documents/publications/davos-statement-

World Congress in February; the Broadband

jan2016-en.pdf

Commission Spring meeting in March; the

22

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Name

Surname

Company

David

Kirkpatrick

CEO, Techonomy Media

Houlin

Zhao

Secretary-General, International
Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Tilman

Ehrbeck

Partner, Omidyar Network

Mats

Granryd

Director-General, GSMA

Kaushik

Basu

Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, World

Bank

Tim

Berners-Lee

MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence

Laboratory (CSAIL)

Andrew

Moore

Dean, School of Computer Science, Carnegie

Mellon University

Gnther H.

Oettinger

Commissioner, Digital Economy and Society,

European Commission

Carlos M.

Jarque

Chief Executive Officer, FCC

Irina Georgieva

Bokova

Director-General, United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Gyan Chandra

Acharya

Under Secretary-General,
UN-OHRLLS

Mukhisa

Kituyi

Secretary-General, United Nations Conference on

Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Sun

Yafang

Chairwoman of the Board, Huawei Technologies

Fadi

Chehade

President and Chief Executive Officer, ICANN

Janet

Longmore

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Digital

Opportunity Trust (DOT)

Jean Philbert

Nsengimana

Minister of Youth & ICT, Rwanda

23

24

Name

Surname

Company

Richard

Samans

Head of the Centre for the Global Agenda,

Member of the Managing Board, World Economic
Forum

Alex

Wong

Head, Global Challenge Partnerships and Co-Head,

Future of the Internet Initiative, Member of the
Executive Committee, World Economic Forum

Ulf

Ewaldsson

Senior Vice President & CTO, Ericsson

Sarah

Wynn-Williams

Director of Global Public Policy, Facebook

Michael

Prescott

Director of Corporate Affairs,

BT Group

Shenggen

Fan

Director-General, International Food Policy

Research Institute (IFPRI)

Carlos

Lpez Blanco

Global Head, Public and Regulatory Affairs,

Telefonica SA

Philippe

Metzger

Director General, Federal Office of

Communications (OFCOM), Switzerland

Stephen

Collins

Group Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs

Officer, VimpelCom

Eric

Loeb

Vice President, International External Affairs, AT&T

Vikas

Pota

Chief Executive, Varkey Foundation, United

Kingdom

William J.

Drake

International Fellow and Lecturer, University of

Zurich

Lars G.

Josefsson

Professor, Brandenburg University of Technology

(BTU)

Bernard P.

Gainnier

Chairman & Territory Senior Partner, PwC France &

Francophone Africa

Paul Thomas

Jenkins

Chairman, OpenText Corporation

Tim

Bozik

President, Global Product, Pearson, USA

Name

Surname

Company

Mohamed

Kande

US & Global TICE Advisory Leader (Technology,

Information, Communications, Entertainment &
Media), PwC

Rosemary

Leith

Founding Director, World Wide Web Foundation

Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet &
Society at Harvard University
Non Executive Director, YouGov Plc

Michael

Hager

Head of Cabinet of Commissioner for Digital

Economy and Society, European Commission

Richard

Sanders

Co-Head, Global Technology; Partner, Permira

Advisers

Feleg

Tsegaye

Founder, Deliver Addis

Gregg

Melinson

Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, HewlettPackard

Olivier

Suinat

Vice President, Global Accounts, Commercial and

Public Sector, EMEA, Hewlett-Packard

Mariel

Reed

Manager, Partnerships, Coursera

Runa

Khan

Founder and Executive Director, Friendship

Bangladesh

Park

Yu-Hyun

Chair, infollutionZERO Ahn-Sei Foundation

Jennifer

Suleiman

Director and Head, CSR, Zain Group

Amanda

Gardiner

VP, Sustainability & Social Innovation, Pearson Plc

Bintao

Wang

Development Economics, The World Bank

Teunis

van Rheenen

Head of Partnerships and Business Development,

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Marc

Boxser

Global Director for External Relations & Strategic

Initiatives, GEMS Education

Denise

Sinclair

Strategic Communications Manager, BT

25

26

Name

Surname

Company

Nora

Abusitta

Senior Vice-President, Development and Public

ICANN

Ayaz

Bayramov

Head of Department for International Relations

and Cooperation, Azerbaijan

Danil

Kerimi

Director, Digital Economy and Global Technology

Policy, World Economic Forum

Michael

Garabet

Consultant, WEF / BCG

Paul

Conneally

(organizer), Head of Corporate Communications,

ITU

Vaggelis

Igglesis

(organizer), Strategy & Policy Officer, ITU

The Broadband Commission for Digital Development was launched by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) in response to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moons call to step up
UN efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Established in May 2010,
the Commission unites top industry executives with government leaders, thought leaders,
policy pioneers, international agencies and organizations concerned with development.
The Broadband Commission embraces a range of different perspectives in a
multi-stakeholder approach to promoting the global roll-out of broadband, as well as
providing a fresh approach to UN and business engagement.
To date, the Commission has published a number of high-level policy reports,
best practices and case studies.
More information about the Commission is available at
www.broadbandcommission.org

This report aims to serve as a record for the special session of the Broadband Commission at
the World Economic Forum, January 2015.
For further information please contact the Broadband Commission Secretariat at
bbcommission@itu.int

ISBN: 978-92-61-17801-7

9 789261 178017